Revisiting Spring Botanicals

Good morning and welcome.

Today the Uniko team are revisiting a previously released stamp set, well a series actually!

There are 4 stamps in the Spring Botanicals set, Daffodil, Snowdrop, Tulip and Crocus. In my card I've used 2 of them, Crocus and Snowdrop.

My inspiration was the flowers that were blooming at the time I made it. The snowdrops were in full bloom at the top of the drive and the crocus were adding some welcome colour to the long grass in the back garden. I chose the purple ones as the birds have decimated the white and yellow ones!! Still they do look fab pocking up in the longer grass. I did think of adding some daffodils but thought it would be too busy. This uses the same technique as this card, I really like how it focuses the eye but I used a slightly larger pair of dies to accommodate the flowers.

On a panel of white card, I stamped and masked the crocus and snowdrops to create a pleasing arrangement, then coloured the flowers and leaves with Copic markers. I was tempted to colour the background but left it white in the end. I took two nesting circle dies and lined them up evenly to create a frame die, securing with tape so they didn't move whilst cutting. Once cut, I removed the dies and cut a frame from fun foam, gluing the foam behind the coloured, die cut frame.

Using the largest circle, I die cut a circle from scrap paper and glued the frame onto it and then the center was placed back and glued too, matching the pattern of flowers. The finished panel was then added to a 5 x 7 base card and the simple white on black sentiment, Pure Florals-Peony, added on pads.

Well that's what I came up with but what about the rest of the team?

Just follow the links to see what the rest of the BAs and Bev have made using this great group of stamp sets.

 Anita

Bev

Izzy

Julie -me

Steph

Vinita

Don't forget to leave a comment as you hop along because as usual Bev is offering a prize to one lucky comment left along the hop. Simply leave some comment love before Midnight GMT Monday 18th March 2024 and she will select a lucky winner to receive a £15 eGift Code to spend in the store!

Before I go, how about some March Madness from Bev?

Happy Hopping!

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First signs of Spring                                                      

Release Day and Blog Hop @ Uniko

It's release day at Uniko and as per tradition we are having a blog hop and giveaway!

So for your chance to win, don't forget to leave a comment as you hop along to see what the BAs have come up with for this release.

Here's my first card using the Bauhaus Blocks stamp set.

I used 3 of the 5 grid stamps to create a Piet Mondrian style card, perfect for the males in your life. This is a square card but I could have used all 5 stamps and created a rectangular panel. The 3 panels were stamped in black then coloured with Copic markers before being trimmed and added to a panel of black card leaving a small amount of the backing showing. The sentiment is from my favourite Doodle Flowers, I tend to create a batch of them on neutral panels once I've got the stamps set out, use one and save the others for later! This time white EP on black, then mounted on white to match the coloured sections.

I said earlier in the week that I love the new layering stencil and this card is another example, using DOx in Picked Raspberry, Squeezed Lemonade and Wilted Violet. This is cut from a larger panel and attached to a die cut white panel and onto a 41/4"square base card.

The sentiment this time is from Yes You, the wonderful stamped and heat embossed with white EP on black and fussy cut, the you are, yes you added on strips.

OK, I know this is overload but here is another of the stencil panels, this time in a palette of blues, Altenew's Lapis Lazuli set, and another of my Doodle Flower sentiment panels.

This is a great masculine colourway, use as a whole or as a part of the panel.

Finally I have this card made using the Flower Power #4 stencil and the sentiment from Pure Florals -Peony.

To start, I took a panel of white card and attached the stencil whilst I inked through with Picked Raspberry DOx. I then removed the stencil and repositioned it so that the petals were in between the first set and inked again with the DOx. I used a firmer hand over the center and edge of the flower to create a sense of shape and dimension. The stencil was then removed and I inked lightly over the whole panel without the stencil to get rid of as much white as possible.

Using a couple of the stamps from Flower Power #4, I stamped in Seedless Preserve DOx to create a center, then added a sequin for a bit of bling! 

The sentiment, Sending, was stamped, heat embossed and fussy cut and the many thanks added on a white strip. A few sequins and gems complete.

So that's all from me for today. For the chance to win don't forget to leave a comment here before you hop along for the chance to win the whole release!.

 Anita

Bev

Izzy

Julie -that's me

Steph

Vinita

Introducing Background Blocks Grid and and Diagonal Stripes

Good morning.

Two new stamps are revealed today at Uniko, both from the Background Blocks group. When I saw that Bev had released this first design, I was so pleased as I have been looking for some time for such a stamp to enable me to create this pixilated effect.

 

On a panel of MM paper, I stamped the grid in Altenew's Limestone ink, then stamped and masked this bunch of Cosmos flowers. Using my Zig watercolor markers, I painted each little square. It's a painstaking technique but I love the effect. As it's quite a busy panel I decided to just trim it and mount on a white linen effect base card and a simple sentiment strip from Pure Florals Peony, all on pads.

This a CASe of a card I made more than a couple of years ago using the BB Bold Stripes and the Pure Florals - Gerbera. Stamped image coloured with Copics, masked then over stamped in grey with the BB Diagonal Stripes. A few sequins and sentiment added complete.

Why not check out the rest of the team for more ideas?

Bev
Hannelie

Izzy 

Jane 
Julie -that's me

Rahmat

Steph

Don't forget to leave a comment as you visit the BAs as Bev is choosing random comments on the lead up to release day for the chance to win some Uniko goodies!

I'd like to join in over at:-

edited 22/7 (thanks Loll)

Uniko Challenge #66

Good morning. It's been a busy few days here in the craftroom and I'm here again to let you know that there is a brand new challenge starting over at Uniko. Here's my take on it.

I love the combination of the soft green polka dot background and the bright pink gerbera.

I don't make many slimline cards, they were something I made many years ago when I first started making cards but they have made a resurgence in recent months. Recently, I even treated myself to some new dies to make slimline cards.

The background was made using the BB Scattered Polka Dots stamp, stamped with Versamark and heat embossed with white EP repeated over the length of the panel. Using some Bundle Sage DOx, I then added some colour. The choice of colour was influenced by the photo over at Inkspirational, loved the soft effect it gave. The Gerbera was stamped then colored with my Zig watercolour brushes and fussy cut. The white frame was cut using a Creative Expressions die and the opening made larger by cutting away the center on my trimmer, the original was a little too large for my tastes. As there was such a large space for my greeting, I added some die cut letters in white with a hint of black showing from behind and a a stamped sentiment from Pure Florals- Peony in white EP on black. All elements were glue flat onto the background.

So where will you go with this challenge, we'd love to see them in our gallery. There's more details to be found on the Uniko blog as well as links to all the BA's and GD Dhruvika's inspiration too.

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Wonky Stripes Rule at Uniko

Good morning Uniko fans.

I'm over on the Uniko blog with some bright and breezy ideas featuring various Wonky Stripes!

Some of you early risers will recognise the left hand card as one I posted earlier for my GD over at ATSM, check out this link for more info.

Here are a few close ups of the other cards I made using various Wonky Stripe stamps and stencil and some of my favourite peony blooms and the fab gerbera stencil.

Using Copic colouring, gold embossing, BB Wonky Stripes  and the small bloom from Pure florals Peony.

Wonky Stripes stencil and the fantastic large bloom from Pure Florals Peony, just stamped with black on white and fussy cut.

Last but not least, using BB Solid Wonky Stripes and Large Gerbera Stencil.

I love this gorgeous large gerbera stencil, just like the blooms themselves, inked with Spiced Marmalade DI and added detail using a matching Zig watercolour marker. They won't grow in my garden so just have make do with them from the shops!

All the details can be found over on the Uniko blog.

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 Beautiful Blooms

                     

  

How do you choose a favourite, but I just love a sunny gerbera!

Snowdrops

Good morning, time for a brand new challenge at Uniko.

Here's my inspiration for the latest challenge.

My starting point for this card was my stack of Gelli plate experiments. The background panel used here was cut from a larger piece made by taking a print after the first pull from a stencil overlay, using the Let it Snow stencil. The result is a ghostly, delicate effect that reminded me of frosty mornings like we had last weekend. I decided to use the Snowdrops from Spring Botanicals - Snowdrop, as they are the harbingers of spring and remind us that there is hope of spring after the dark winter days. Very appropriate at the moment I think. They are were also in my mind as I put the bins on the roadside the other day, as there are clumps of snowdrops at the side of the lane just waiting to burst into life.

I stamped the snowdrops and then masked them off before stamping a couple more stems, then used Copics to colour. After fussy cutting, I glued them onto my Gelli plate background and added a torn card snowdrift, allowing the two lowest blooms to hang over. A little bit of Wink of Stella added a bit of sparkle to the snow bank!

My completed panel was added with foam pads over a white linen A6 linen effect base card and a sentiment strip added below, leaving a thin shadow line between the two elements. The sentiment is from the Pure Florals Peony set.

Whilst I had the Snowdrop set out, I decided that I would make another in order to enter Darnell's Twofer Challenge and the Flower Challenge.

Here is what I came up with.

This time I went landscape and one layer for my watercolour interpretation.

No stencil this time but simple masking and heat embossing.

Using masking tape I masked off a border around a piece of mixed media paper and stamped the single spray of flowers with Versamark, then heat embossed with fine white EP.

At first I used a mixture of Chipped Sapphire and Blueprint Sketch for the background but it wasn't deep enough so I went over it with a deep blue Zig marker, blending out with water towards the edges.

The flowers were coloured with Zig markers and blended out with plain water before my sentiment was added and more fine white EP. The sentiment is from the same set as the snowdrops but I cut it up in order to get the placement just right. Carefully removing the masking tape gave the crisp white border. I thought the sentiment was perfect for anyone who needs a lift in these crazy times.

Not sure which one I prefer, they each have something to commend them I think.

OK, that's all from me, please check out the rest of the team and GD over at the Uniko blog, where you'll find all the Ts and Cs.

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Color Hues #5 - Uniko's Pure Florals - Peony

First of the month, so I'm back again with another card, this time for the latest challenge over at Color Hues.

Using these colours.

 

I used this lovely large bloom from Uniko's Pure Florals - Peony.

Keeping it simple, I just embossed it onto kraft with Versamark and white EP, along with a birthday sentiment. On a panel of MM paper, I repeated the process and coloured the bloom with Squeezed Lemonade and Mustard Seed DI in a watercolour technique. Shadows were added with a Zig watercolour brush pen Brick Beige, which is as near as I could get to the colour of the kraft card.

After fussy cutting, I glued it over the kraft outline and then die cut the whole panel with an MFT scalloped stitched frame die, adding it to a white note card with foam pads.

For more yellow and kraft inspiration check out the rest of the DT here, we'd love to see your take on the colours in our gallery.

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The white on the wood reminded me of the white embossing on the kraft.